“What have you been doing with yourself?” said Gamble. “Mr. Montague, my friend Lieutenant Long, of the Engineers. Where are you going, Billy?”
“Nowhere in particular,” said the officer.
“Get in,” said Gamble, pointing to the vacant seat between them. “I am showing Mr. Montague the town.”
The other climbed in, and they went on. “The Lieutenant has just come up from Brooklyn,” he continued. “Lively times we had in Brooklyn, didn't we, Billy? Tell me what you have been doing lately.”
“I'm working hard,” said the Lieutenant—“studying.”
“Studying here in Newport?” laughed Gamble.
“That's easy enough when you belong to the Engineers,” said the other. “We are working-men, and they don't want us at their balls.”
“By the way, Gamble,” he added, after a moment, “I was looking for you. I want you to help me.”
“Me?” said Gamble.
“Yes,” said the other. “I have just had notice from the Department that I am one of a board of five that has been appointed to draw up specifications for machine oil for the Navy.”